BC vs. Providence

Should I go to Boston College or Providence College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BC or Providence is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

BU Villanova Northeastern Tufts Babson Colgate Fairfield University Brandeis University Holy Cross NYU Notre Dame University of Richmond
Boston College vs. Providence College comparison
Boston College Providence College College 3 College 4
Boston College Providence College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

BC Providence
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Providence, RI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 15,287 4,473
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #121
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu providence.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Providence
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $56,980
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $56,980
Room & Board $16,120 $16,540
Avg Net Price $30,559 $43,970
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $30,971
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 81%

Admission

BC Providence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 11,129
Admitted 6,748 5,874
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 52.8%
Enrolled % 34.6% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.47
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 33/35 28/32
SAT Range 1435/1540 1260/1420
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

BC Providence
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

BC Providence
Graduation Rate 91% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $68,000
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $196 $279

Diversity

BC Providence
% Men 45% 45%
% Women 55% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 77%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

BC Providence
% In-State 21% 8%
% Out-of-State 71% 90%

Campus

BC Providence
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston College is larger than than Providence based on total student enrollment (15,287 students vs. 4,473 students)

BC vs. Providence Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Providence?

  • Boston College is 10.5% more expensive to attend than Providence for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $56,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.5% higher at BC than Providence College ($62,950.00 vs. $56,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than Providence ($30,559 vs. $43,970)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 2.6% lower than costs at Providence College ($16,120 vs. $16,540)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Providence College than Boston College (81% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 61.4% larger than aid received Providence College ($49,992 vs. $30,971)

BC vs. Providence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BC or Providence? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Providence or BC .

  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Providence (3.47)
  • Providence has a higher acceptance rate (52.8%) than BC (16.7%)

BC vs. Providence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC or Providence? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Providence and BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Providence College (91% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Boston College earn on average $22,900 more per year than Providence graduates after ten years. ($90,900 vs. $68,000)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Providence graduates. ($19,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BC graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than Providence graduates. ($196 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Providence students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/